High School Legislation In Oregon 219 five private and denominational schools and colleges from the privilege of granting teachers' certificates to their graduates without examination. After a short fight, the bill passed the House. In the Senate, so much discussion ensued that, by the time one-fourth of the code had been adopted, clause by clause, it became apparent that it would be impossible to finish the task, so a motion was carried to strike out the remainder. The high school pro- vision was among the sections eliminated. This section did not come up for discussion on the floor of the senate but there was a strong undercurrent of opposition to it and friends of the measure were of the opinion that it would have been killed if it had come to a vote. 36 From newspaper accounts of the attempt at school legislation in 1899 and the discussions that ensued, there is scant mention of the fact that the state had a superin- tendent of public instruction whose voice should be heard in the matter. A man had just stepped into that office at the opening of the legislative session, but neither the legislators nor the general public had yet discovered it. That man was J. H. Ackerman, the organizer, to whose capable hands came the task of giving shape to Oregon's school system. Mr. Ackerman was particularly well fitted for the task which lay before him. He had had normal school training and was a thoughtful student and a careful ob- server of education in its broader aspects, thus filling in the gap that lack of university training would other- wise have left vacant. His range of experience had been broad and successful. He had been a high school prin- cipal, principal of a large grade school building in a city system, city superintendent and superintendent of Ore- gon's most populous county. Most of his work had been in Oregon, so that Oregon conditions and Oregon needs were familiar to him. He was of large physique and of commanding presence. He was clear and forceful in ^Oregonian, February 6, 1899. p. 3.
